Occupy Nashville’s Tents Gone, But Rules-Change Moving

State officials are still pushing the rules-change that Governor Bill Haslam wanted in order to evict Occupy Nashville. It would add another way the state could keep occupiers from planting tents on the plaza outside the capitol, on top of the law Haslam signed last month.

Kicking out Occupy Nashville wasn’t easy for the state, since it can’t legally step on free-speech rights in the process. The rules-proposal (pdf) spells out details, like how occupiers and others would need permission to use the plaza’s electrical outlets. But protester Michael Custer argues it’s all part of a big violation of the right to protest:

“The state should see fit to accommodate that right. And when it sees a bunch of protesters out there, bring us extension cords! Tell us where to plug in so we don’t damage anything.”

When the state first tried to evict Occupy Nashville last fall it was slapped down in court, and left with a couple of options. State lawmakers went ahead with a kind-of legislative camping ban, even though Haslam said he preferred the slower rules-change, which is open for public comment through Wednesday.